Headgear attachment



Jan. 15, 1929.

1,698,774 D. s. s. sTEqART HEADGEAR ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 24, 1927 @JMW Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES DOUGLAS STUART SPENS STEUART, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

HEADGEAR ATTACHMENT.

Application filed October 24, 1927, Serial No. 228,363, and in Great Britain October 25, 1926.

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to headgear attachments for listening devices such as receivers and the like, and also for use in conjunction therewith devices for holding transmitting devices in position.

The invention, While being more particularly applicable for headgear attachments for telephone receivers, is also applicable for headgear attachments for listening tubes and speaking tubes. In order to apply a headgear attachment to the head it is usually necessary to employ tivo hands for holding the receivers apart While placing in position on the head and for removing therefrom.

One of the objects of the present invention is to enable a headgear` attachment to be affixed to the head by a single hand, and according to one feature of the present invention this is attained by pro riding means adjacent one side' of the head in the `vicinity of the listening device for effecting the opening of the attachment so as to permit it to be placed on or removed from the head, so that the hand, after placing the listening device to the ear in a similar manner to which an ordinary telephone receiver is placed and adjusting it to the most comfortable position, can release the attachment so that it Will close round on the other side of the head and effectively hold the receiver in position after the hand has been removed. Other arrangements for effecting the opening of a headgear attachment so as to permit it to be placed on or removed from the ear have been provided with controlling means above the head so that the adjustment ofthe receiving devices to the ear is very indirect and not nearly so conveniently attained as by the present invention.

Another feature of the invention concerns the provision of a spring controlled drum located at one side of the headgear attachment having a band connected thereto of flexible material, such as ribbon, leather or the like, and tensioned thereby, which band extends to the other side of the attachment and so presses on the head and avoids the discomfort of the usual constructions. This is particularly of value in constructions such as the present Where pivoted arms are employed instead of a continuous strip of metal.

A further feature of the invention is an arrangement by Which a mouthpiece may be held in position in front of the mouth by a connection extending from the headgear attachment.

These and other features of the invention will be better understood by referring to the accmnpanying drai'vings, in which the single ligure is a view in front elevation, showing the headgear attachment as fitted to the person. As here illustrated, the headgear attachment comprises two arms 11 and 12 pivoted at 13. The arm 11 has an extension piece 14 and has a slot 15 at its outer end. A pin 16 on the end of a rod 17 engages in the slot 15, so that by moving the rod 17 up and down, the arm 11 can be moved from the position shown to the dotted position. The arms 1l and 12 are preferably tubular and the arm 12 is provided with a slot Whereby the rod 17 can slide up and down therein. To the rod 17 a. handle member' 18 is attached, as shown, While to the arm 12 a handle member 19 is attached. These two handle niembers are provided With pins 2O and 21, over Which fits a helical spring 22, Which acts normally to hold themapart, as shown, and so forces the rod 17 upwards, andtherefore causes the arm 11 to press against the other side of the head. The arm 11 carries at its extreme end a pivoted member' 28, and a cylindrical drum 24. This cylindrical drum is provided internally With a clockwork spring 25 tendingl to rotate the drum counterclockwise. To the surface of the drum is attached a band 26, preferably of light flexible material, such as ribbon, leather or the like. The other end of the band 26 is connected to the end of the arm 12 so that the band is normally tensioned, as shown. Atthe end of the pivoted member 23 an ear pad 27 is pivoted, which pad is adapted to adjust itself to the ear or against the side of the head of the user when in position with the minimum amount of discomfort. At the end of the arm 12 is a support 28 for an electromagnetic receiver 29 fitted With an ear pad 30; The receiver is pivoted in the support 28 so as to adjust itself to the ear. Connected to the receiver or to the end of the arm 12, whichever may be more convenient, is a flexible connecting link 31.' This connecting link is made of suitable material so as to support in any position to which it may be put a mouthaiece 32 connected to the end oi' a flexible tube 33 leading from a lined transi'nitter attached to an instrumentv from which the cord 34 extendsto the receiver. The purpose oifthis connecting link is that when the receiver is applied to the head the mouthpiece comes directly in front of the mouth and the user can talk with his hands perfectly tree. To apply the receiver to the head the ieceiver"\vould usually b e brought to the position shown in dotted lines, with the manually operating members 18 and 19 pressed together sorthat part-y concer-neder torl anotherl party. It it4 Was not for him, the called part-y couldnt Once replace the receiver Without atliiring theheadgearattachment. 1t it was tor the party Who had lifted the receiver, he would' their, having: atlixed the receiver to his ear, releaselhis grip so that the spring 22 would come into play to force-the members 18 and 19 lapart, andthereby cause the arm 11 to move tothe position shown intull lines. The band4 26 would then engage the heady in a manner likely to cause the least possible'disturbance, While the ear pad 27 would adjust itself to a comfortable position on the other side of the head. The hand could then be nally4 removed, any further slight adjustment could be made if required, and the subscriber Would haveboth hands free. In connection With pillar-type instruments, for Which the invention is particularly suitable, the flexible tube 83,: which may be ot the character described in my copending application Serial No. 242,941, iiled-Dec. 27, 192'?, and-Which extends from the transmitter oi the pillar set to the mouthpiece 32, may be brought by means ot the connecting link 31 in iront of the mouth ot the user at the same time as the receiver is placed inposition near the ear. `With such an arrangement both hands would be free immediately the receiver was adjusted and the desk in front of the subscriber Would be clear so that be could either readifrom papers on the desk or write as may be desired.

l clainiz- 1. ln combination, a listening device, a headgear attachment to Whichj said listening device is secured, means associated with said headgear' attachment whereby said attachnient cani be opened to permit the listening deviceto be placed to the ear, and means located directly adjacent said listening device whereby the'attachmentcanbe closed to grip the head. V

2. ln combination, a listening device, a headgear' attachment to which said listening device is secured, means adapted normally to act to bring the ends of said attachment towards each other, and means located exclusively at one side of said headgear attachment to torce the ends ot.' said attachment apart and permit the listening device to be placedion or removed trom the head.

3. linv combination, a headgear attachment comprising tivo arms adaptedto engage opposite sides ot the head and pivoted Withfrespect to cach other, a listening device secured adjacent to the end ci one ci said arms, a spring adapted to cause saidV a. s to move towards each other, and manuali; controlled means located exclusively at one le of the headgear attachment adiaccnt` to line listening device whereby said'arms can he Jorced apart tor placing said attachment on or removing it 'from the head,

il. 1n combination, a listening device, a headgear attachment adapted to secure said listening device in position on the head, a spring controlled drum located at oneV side of said attachment, and a band ot Yflexible material lia-ving one end secured to said drum and tensioned thereby, and the other end secured to the other side of saidattachment'.

ln combination, a listening device, a headgear attachment therefor comprising pair otarm's pivoted with respect to each other, a spring controlled drum located at the end o'-'oneotfsaid arms distant trom the pivot, anda band ot' flexible material havingl one endsecured to said drum and tensioned thereby7T and the other end secured to the end ofthe other arm distant from the pivot.

6. In combination, a listening dev" e, a headgear attachment therefor comprising a pair of arms pivotedl with respect to eacother, a spring controlled drum located' at the end ot one otfsaid arms distant from the pivot, a band ot flexible material having one end secured to said drum and:tensionedvthereby and the other end secured to the end ot the other arm distant from the pivot, and means tor forcing the ends ot said arms apartand extending said band to permit itI to be positioned over the head.

7. ln combination, a headgear attachment comprising tivo arms adapted to engage opposite sides-oi' the head and pivotedavith respect to each other, alistening device secured at the end of one of said arms, a manually controlled member secured to saidarm, an extension piece on the said arm, a second manually controlledl member located within hand-grip distance ofthe first-named member, a link connecting the second-named itneii'ibcr,wv-ith said extension piece, aspring which normally tends to torce the two manually controlled members apart to cause the ends ot said Varmste approach towards each lll) Cil

other, and means whereby it said members are pressed together by the hand said arms are forced apart to permit the listening device to be placed to and removed from the ear.

8. In combination, a headgear attachment comprising two arms adapted to engage opposite sides ot the head and pivoted with respect to each other, a listening device secured at the end of one of said arms, a manually controlled member secured to said arm, an extension piece on the said arm, a second manually controlled member located with hand-grip distance of the first-named member, a link connecting` the second-named member with said extension piece, a spring` which normally tends to force the two manually controlled members apart to cause the ends ot' said arms to approach towards each other,1 means whereby it said members are pressed together by the hand said arms are forced apart to permit the listeningl device to be placed to and removed from the ear, a spring controlled drum located at the end of one of said arms distant from the pivot,

and a band of iexible material having one end secured to said drum and tensioned thereby and the other end secured to the end ot' the other arm distant `from said pivot.

9. In combination, a listening device7 a headgear attachment for said listening, device, a mouthpiece, and a flexible link for connecting` said mouthpiece to said headgear attachment whereby when the listening device is placed to the ear the mouthpiece is placed in front of the mouth.

l0. In combination, a headgear attachment, a listening device secured to said headgear attachment, means tendingto bring` the ends of said attachmenttowards each other, means located at one side of said headgear attachment to force the ends ot' said attachment apart and to permit the listening device to be placed on or removed from the head, a mouthpiece, and a liexible link connectingl said mouthpiece to said listening device.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix 1n signature this 14th day of October, 1927.

DOUGLAS STUART SPENS STEUART. 

